Budapest to The Golden Horn

Budapest to The Golden Horn

A journey in 4 countries, 2 continents, 2 seas and one of the biggest rivers in the Old World

17 days/16 nights tour in Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey

2012 Departure Dates: June 3, July 15, August 12, Sep 23

Unique highlights and inclusions:

• Overnight stays at historic and boutique hotels, some dating back to the 16th century
• Traditional Romanian meal with a local farming family
• Visit to the ancient town of Cisnadie with its beautiful fortified church
• Transylvania's Bran and Peles Castles with funicular trip to Poiana Brasov
• Lunch within Bulgaria's famous, UNESCO-listed Rila Monastery
• Bosphorus cruise offering wonderful views of historic and modern Istanbul
• Spectacular Whirling Dervishes performance

Route map

Day 1 - Budapest

Arrival at Budapest. Transfer from the airport and accommodation in Danubius Hotel Astoria 4* or Hotel President Budapest 4*. Dinner and overnight.

Day 2 - Budapest (A Beauty over Danube River)

After breakfast - panoramic city tour of Budapest with the most interesting and famous sights of the Hungarian capital, like House of Parliament (inside visit), Castle District, Citadel, Andrássy Avenue, St. Stephen's Basilica, Opera House and Heroes' Square. See all the wonderful sights of Budapest; the nicest squares, monuments and churches of the city and the unique panorama of the river Danube!

Lunch in a local restaurant. Overnight in the hotel.

Optionals

• Budapest by night program. The illuminated "Paris of the East". Spend an unforgettable evening in the glittering Budapest and come to know the city's traditional side! Firstly you can get a little taste of the Hungarian folklore in a traditional, atmospheric restaurant being warmly welcomed by Hungarian specialties. After the aperitif a delicious 3-course menu is served for you accompanied by good wines and a varied folklore show.

• Danube cruise with dinner and live music (1,5 hrs starting at 7pm)

Day 3 - Budapest - Timisoara (The Romanian West)

After breakfast - transfer with a professional guide to Timisoara - the largest city in the Western part of Romania built on the site of an ancient Roman fortress. The country's hero town in 1989, Timisoara was where the rebel against the Communist regime of Nicolae Ceausescu began. Lunch in a local restaurant. Check in Hotel Timisoara 4* (Laszlo Szekely, chief city architect, built this imposing mansion, where Hotel Timisoara stands now, between the two world wars. The exterior reflects the style of the central square). A city tour of Timisoara follows: the Union Square (former Dome Square), the old fortress' walls, Dome-church, Pillar of the Plague, Bastion, "House with the Iron Tree", Statue of St. Mary and Huniade Castle. Dinner and overnight in the hotel.

Day 4 - Timisoara - Sibiu (The Biggest Medieval City)

After breakfast - departure to the biggest medieval city in Romania - Sibiu. The city was voted as European Capital of Culture for 2007. Visit to the old part of the town with the Clock tower and the old style houses. Accommodation, dinner in a local restaurant and overnight in Hotel Imparatul Romanilor 3*. The hotel was build in 1555 and is located direct on the pedestrian zone.

Day 5 - Surrounding Sibiu: Multicultural and ecumenical life.

After breakfast we invite you to explore the villages surrounding Sibiu, located at the bottom of the Cindrel Mountains. First, we will visit Cisnadie, where we will see one of the most beautiful fortified churches in Transylvania. Next, we will head towards Cisnadioara where we will visit the Evangelic Church and the medieval fortress. Our next stop will be at the open air village museum in the Dumbrava Forest- the largest open air museum in Romania with over 330 types of village houses. The museum is built on a 200 ha surface. Next we will head to Cristian - a village where the most inhabitants used to be Landlers. Next we head to Sibiel, a typical Romanian village where we will visit the glass painted icons museum. Traditional lunch at a Romanian peasant family in Sibiel. Return to Sibiu. Dinner and overnight.

Day 6 - Sibiu - Sighisoara (The Birthhouse of Vlad Dracula)

After breakfast we drive to Biertan. This church-castels is over 750 yers old and it is also an UNESCO - Monument. Biertan was the Evangelic Bishop Residence until 17th century. Follows visit of one of the most beautiful medieval towns in Romania - Sighisoara. Visit of the Citadel - a 12th century Saxon edifice located in the historic center of the city. Still occupied, the citadel is listed as a World Heritage Site. Time for your own in Sighisoara. Dinner in the famous restaurant «Vlad Drakula», located in the same house where the popular character of the British writer Bram Stoker was born. Accommodation and overnight in Fronius 5* botique hotel in Sighisoara.

Day 7 - Sighisoara - Brasov (The Black Church)

After breakfast - visit the Sighisoara citadel and departure to Brasov - a medieval city, founded in 12-th century. Lunch in a local restaurant. Sightseeing tour of the really good preserved historical city center with the big square, the old city-hall, and the Black Church - the main Gothic style monument in the country. Accommodation in a 4* hotel Casa Cranta in Brasov.

Day 8 - Brasov - Bran (The Castle of Dracula)

After breakfast - taking funicular to the top of mountain with unique view over the Brasov city. Next is visit of Bran village, where the world famous Dracula castle is located. It is the most curious part of the trip in Romania, which attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world. Lunch in Poiana Brasov mountain resort in a restaurant with Romanian Folklore Music.

Return back to Brasov. Overnight in the hotel

Day 9 - Brasov - Bucharest (The Little Paris)

After breakfast - Departure to the mountain resort Sinaia, also called "the pearl of the Carpathian Mountains". Visit to the Peles Castle, constructed in 1873 as a summer residence of the Romanian royal family. You can see a rich collection of old furniture, carpets, weapons and armors.

In the afternoon we will reach Bucharest. A city tour of the Romanian capital follows: the Palce of Parliament (the second largest building in the world after the Pentagon in USA), the Royal Palace, the University's Library, the City-Hall and other interesting sights of the city also called "the little Paris" because of the similar architecture style of the buildings. Accommodation, dinner and overnight in Casa Capsa hotel 5*.

Day 10 - Bucharest - Ruse - Veliko Tarnovo (The rock churches of Ivanovo)

After breakfast - departure to Bulgaria. Crossing the Danube River to reach Ruse - the main Bulgarian river port. Panoramic tour by bus in Ruse.

Departure to the Rusenski Lom River Valley. Visit Rock Churches of Ivanovo (XII-XIV c) - an UNESCO object, famous for its unique frescoes. Then we will drive to the old capital of Bulgaria - Veliko Tarnovo. Accommodation, dinner and overnight in 3* hotel Gurko.

Day 11 - Arbanassi - Veliko Tarnovo (The Capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom)

After breakfast - city tour of Veliko Tarnovo with visit to the historical hill Tsarevets with the Fortress, the Patriarchal hurch and the Emperor Baldwin's Tower. You will walk along the old Trade Street - Samovodska charshia.

Next is visit of Arbanassi village, famous for its ancient rich decorated churches and magnificent architecture. It used to be a residence of the Bulgarian kings. Visit of a private guest house in Arbanassi, where we will have delicious homemade meals for lunch.

In the afternoon - free time. Overnight in the hotel.

Day 12 - Veliko Tarnovo - Kazanlak - Sofia (The Valley of the Roses and the Thracian Kings)

Departure to Kazanlak - the capital of the Rose valley. The road to Kazanlak passes by Shipka peak, where is situated the monument of the Bulgaria's liberators from the 19th C. There is a wonderful view to North and South Bulgaria from the monument's top - over 1100 m above sea level. You will learn more details about the crucial battles, which changed the course of the Russian-Turkish war in 1877-78. On your way to Kazanlak, in the village of Shipka is the Russian church, where concerts with Church Slavonic music are often performed. In Kazanlak you will visit the Thracian Kazanlak tomb (the copy) dating back to the 4th c. B.C. It is listed in the world natural and historical heritage of UNESCO. In the Historical museum you will see the recently golden mask of the Thracian king Theres and the bronze head of the King Seuthes III. Next we will pass thorough Skobelevo village where we will visit the Ethnographical Complex "Damascene", where you can see how the famous Bulgarian rose oil (used in the perfumery) is produced. Late in the afternoon - a drive to Sofia, accommodation, dinner in a local restaurant and overnight in 5* hotel Arena di Serdica Residence. Strategically located in the heart of the city, the hotel is right next to the main state institutions, business centers and banks, as well as to the cultural and historical places of interest in Sofia. An ancient Roman amphitheater is appropriately exposed in the grounds of the hotel. Dating back to the 3rd century A. D. it was discovered during the construction works of the hotel in 2004.

Day 13 - Sofia - Rila Monatery - Sofia (The Treasury of Rila Monastery)

After breakfast - take off to the Rila monastery, founded in 10th c. It was the biggest Bulgarian medieval spiritual centre with rich collection of icons, wall-paintings, old-printed books - some 15 000 volumes, etc. Guided tour around the monastery. The monastery is a monument on the UNESCO list of world heritage and is situated in the highest mountain on the Balkans - Rila Mountain, with peak "Moussala" as high as 2925 m. Lunch in restaurant near the monastery famous with its dishes of fresh trout.

Lunch in a local restaurant.

Drive back to Sofia for coach orientation tour. Free evening, overnight in the hotel

Optional:

· Dinner in a typical Bulgarian folklore restaurant with entertainment program

Overnight in the hotel.

Day 14 - Sofia (A 8500 years Old City) - Plovdiv

After breakfast - waking city tour around Sofia. The Bulgarian capital is a 8500 years old city called "My Rome" by the Emperor Constantine the Great. Visit to the most interesting historical sights: the Ancient Serdica, the rotunda church St. George (dated IV century AC), the mineral springs, the antique Roman theatre dated III-IV-th century (the time of the Emperor Constantine the Great) and the St. Nedelya sqare, where 4 temples from different religions are located next to each other: The Catholic church, The Ortodox church, The Synagogue and The Mosque are forming quadrangle, which symbolize the peace between religions in Bulgaria. Next is the Alexander I square where the Royal Palace and the National Theatre are located, "Tzar Osvoboditel" boulevard, the Parliament, the Church of "St. Sofia" (the name means wisdom), which had given the name of the city, the Sofia University and the "Alexander Nevski" cathedral (the biggest Orthodox temple on the Balkan peninsula).

Departure for Plovdiv - the city of the seven hills, built in IV centuries before Christ from the King Philip of Macedonia.

City tour of Plovdiv - the third-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia. It is the administrative centre of Plovdiv Province in southern Bulgaria, as well as the largest and most important city of the historical region of Upper (or Northern) Thrace, famous for its ancient and diverse culture and millennial history. Plovdiv is one of the oldest cities in Europe. It is a contemporary of Troy and Mycenae, and older than Rome, Athens, Carthage or Constantinople. In 342 BC, it was conquered by Philip II of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great, who renamed it "Philippopolis" or "the city of Philip" in his own honor. Later, it again became independent under the Thracians, until its incorporation into the Roman Empire, where it was called Trimontium (City of Three Hills) and served as metropolis (capital) of the province of Thrace.

In Plovdiv we will see the old town with the Antique theatre, the oldest church in the city which took name of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great and his mother Helena, the ancient fortress at the time from Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great, the Roman stadium, as well as some of the most luxury homes for the Renaissance which were owed by rich citizens of Plovdiv.

Dinner in a local restaurant, overnight in Dedeman Trimontium Princess hotel 4*.

Day 15 - Plovdiv - Istanbul (Border of Two Continents)

After breakfast - transfer to Istanbul - a city on two continents, an Emperors' Citadel and a guard of the secular Turkey of today. On the road we will stop for a lunch in Edirne.

Arriving in Istanbul in the afternoon. Accommodation in 5* boutique hotel Eresin Crowne.

Boat trip along Bosporus - border of two continents.

Dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight in the hotel

Day 16 - Istanbul (The Emperors' Citadel)

After breakfast - city tour of Istanbul - the Egyptian Obelisk, the Blue Mosque, St. Sofia Church, Sultan's Palace Topkapi, the famous Grand Bazaar (or Covered Bazaar, Kapalıçarşı in Turkish) and the Egyptian Market (spices and other goods).

In the evening we will watch Whirling Dervishes Show in a separate venue.

Dinner in a rooftop restaurant with Turkish traditional meals. Overnight in the hotel.

Day 17

After breakfast - transfer to the airport and flight back home.

Price request…..

What is included?:

• Accommodation for 16 nights in the above mentioned 3*, 4* and 5* hotels (or similar).
• Meals according to the program. The lunches and dinners includes 3-cource meal with mineral water
• Whirling Dervishes Show in Istanbul
• Traditional dinner in Istanbul
• Bosporus boat trip in Istanbul
• Lunch in Poiana Brasov with Romanian Folklore Music
• All entrance fees for the museums, sites and churches.
• Professional guides throughout + local tour guides where needed
• Transportation by private van/mini bus with driver throughout
• Ticket for funicular in Brasov
• Parking fees, road and border taxes
• Porterage in the hotels.